Author: lbuth0511de28fc

It starts with asking yourself this question: “Are you ready to let God use you in someone’s life?”

Let me tell you a true story. “Kyle” grew up with parents who loved him, but never went to church. Not even at Christmas.

No bedtime prayers. No, “Thank you, Lord, for this food,” not even at Thanksgiving.

The only time Kyle ever heard the words, “God,” or “Jesus Christ,” was when somebody opened a bill or banged their fingers in a door.

He walked by a church on his way to school, but he didn’t know what people did there.

Then a family with a boy his age rented the house next door

Kyle and “Jimmy” played together every chance they got. After school let out for the summer, Jimmy asked Kyle, “Hey, want to come along to VBS? It’s fun!”

Kyle’s mom said, “I suppose it’s okay, but I don’t know why you’d want to.”

Dad objected but Mom threw in the clincher. “Oh, what harm can it do? Besides, it would give me a break.”

So the next Monday, off they went. When Kyle found out that “VBS” meant Vacation Bible School he wondered what he got himself into. School? In summer? In no time at all, he loved it. Besides, these smiling grownups seemed to love kids and there were lots of homemade cookies. Soon Kyle didn’t want VBS to end.

A couple of weeks later Jimmy’s dad took another job and the family moved away.

When Kyle turned 16 he got his driver’s license

One Saturday he asked if he could use the family car next day, so he could go to church. His dad said, “Church? Why on earth would you do that?”

“Well, I remember that VBS with Jimmy. The people are nice over there and I like Pastor Matthew. I still remember the stories they told us and I want to find out more.”

Dad said, “Well, I guess if you want to give up a Sunday morning, go ahead. I’ll bet you once will be enough.”

But it wasn’t. Some of the “cookie ladies” recognized Kyle right away and hugged him. Pastor Matthew remembered Kyle from VBS and invited him to come around any time. Before long Kyle considered Pastor Matthew his friend because he listened.

Every question Kyle came up with, he answered, then said, “Got any more? Bring ’em on.”

The more Kyle knew about Jesus, the more he wanted to know

After awhile he asked to be baptized and later he was confirmed. Awhile later Kyle told his parents, “I know what I want to do with my life. I want to study to become a pastor.”

“But Son, why? You could be anything!”

Kyle persisted and wouldn’t hear of any other options. Finally his parents told him, “Okay, Son, if you’re determined about this foolishness, go ahead. But don’t expect any help from us. You’re on your own.”

He said, “Then I guess it’s up to God and me. We’ll do it together. Somehow. Some way.”

Kyle related that conversation to Pastor Matthew and a few others who asked, “Got any college plans?”

Soon a member started a church scholarship fund and Kyle was the first recipient.

Studying hard and loving it

Hebrew and Greek taxed Kyle to the limit. Five nights a week he stocked shelves in a warehouse and learned to get by on four or five hours of sleep. He had never worked harder in his life, but he also had never been happier or more at peace.

At last he was ready to graduate. Marvel of marvels, his still-skeptical parents accepted his invitation to attend the worship service where Kyle would be ordained as pastor of a church.

That was their first–and only–time inside a church.

Some years later Pastor Kyle came to serve as pastor of our congregation

One Sunday he shared his story, how as a child he knew nothing about Jesus except for that one week of hearing the Good News of Jesus, the One who loved children. Then he smiled at us, his faith family, and said, “I also remembered all those nice, smiling grownups at Vacation Bible School who genuinely seemed to like kids. Even kids like me.

“It’s no stretch at all to say I wouldn’t be here if not for that one week of Vacation Bible School. All these years later I joyfully can tell you that my parents now are baptized believers in Jesus.”

That year when the first call went out for VBS volunteers, the list filled up instantly.

Why not? Every one of us could manage to be nice and to smile at the children, couldn’t we?

That’s the main requirement, really. Whether child or adult, every human being needs to feel loved before they can hear the Gospel. (That’s also what Kyle felt from the smiling “cookie ladies.”)

There are no age limits. In our church we have VBS volunteers from eighth grade up to age 80-plus, all working together.

Yes, it’s true that some children will be there because their parents view this time as free baby-sitting. That’s okay with us. We know that for some kids this one week may be the only time they will hear that Jesus loves each one of them.

We volunteers all remind each other often that even if that’s all our VBS kids remember, it’s enough. Besides, anything beyond that is God’s work, not ours.

Here’s a loving reminder. It’s the time of year when most churches offer VBS or something similar for youngsters. Wouldn’t you like to be part of it and play some part, however small, in helping kids know that Jesus loves them?

It takes no special talent, just love and willingness. What better way to leave your mark on the world?

God bless you, dear reader!

Lenore

Leave Your Mark on Tomorrow-It’s easier Than You Think!

May 28, 2026
Maybe you know one.

Maybe you are one.

I can hear you saying, “Yeah, sure.”

Well, I’m not kidding. Heroes come in all shapes and sizes and ages. Sometimes they’re in the spotlight and their stories make the news.

Most of the time, however, nobody notices.

Think about the dads–and moms–who go off to work every day, mostly without complaint. Consider the ones who got a pink slip. They could sink into a heap on the floor, but they don’t. Instead, they look at the people they love and keep going.

Include the ones who every day they wave a smiling goodbye to their spouse and their children, then go back inside and clean up the fallout of family life. All day, every day, they do a few of the million things it takes to keep a family going.

Hardly anyone pays much attention.

Living with uncertainty

I know one married couple who routinely live with precarious paychecks. You would never guess that by their smiles. They always talk about how God watches over them. These two model unwavering faith, especially for their three children.

Don’t forget the moms and dads who live with the pain of watching their child struggle, whether in school, with drugs or emotional illness, or just with living. These parents scoured out the most-qualified professionals they could find, but with little to no progress. Time passes with little evident progress, yet they keep on praying and encouraging, keep on believing.

Who can imagine the anguish of watching a loved one suffer through a serious, perhaps life-threatening illness? It may be their child or their spouse or their parent(s.) Even as sadness depletes their emotions and exhaustion saps their strength, they pour out love, all the while mourning what was and will never be again.

Some heroes wear uniforms and serve in the Armed Forces. We may overlook their wife or husband or parent(s) who pray fervently and wait. Their loved one may return home alive, but injured, changed, whether emotionally or physically. On the long road back, all the wife or husband or parent can do is keep on loving and keep on praying.

Heroes, every one of them.

Take a closer look in the mirror

See that hero looking back at you?

You’re a hero because you stay, no matter what, and keep on loving, being faithful. Whatever may be missing in your life, every day you decide again to keep on loving as if. As if you were fulfilled. As if your husband or your son or daughter displayed every quality you once envisioned.

You do this because you promised. Because God made you a mom. Or a dad.

You often think you don’t do enough. You cry over the times you get impatient or lose your temper. You pray, because you know you’re not strong enough on your own.

God sees. He knows. Here’s a promise for those days you feel overwhelmed.

(Jesus said) “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27

Lovingly,

Lenore

In search of the heroes around us

May 15, 2026
I confess, it took me way too long to grasp the one-size-fits-all wisdom of that short sentence. Years, in fact.

Somewhere along the way I bought into the lie that “other things” determined the quality of my days, almost as if I were as powerless as a twig floating on an unpredictable stream.

Did I know I thought that? Uh-uh.

I also believed that sometimes, I couldn’t help the way I felt. A cloudy day could “make” me blue. Sometimes my children “drove” me to be impatient and out-of-sorts.

As for the usual daily routines of home and child-rearing that never stayed done, well, who wouldn’t get tired of it once in awhile?

Besides, didn’t I once in awhile have the right to be snippy?

All along I loved my husband, more each day. Our kids brimmed with health and energy. I oved our life together and saw the worth of it. I knew God blessed us and I thanked Him for it.

Occasionally, however, that nasty little inner voice whispered, “There must be more to life than this.”

All my life I counted the Bible precept of “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Did it ever occur to me that often my words and actions implied I loved myself more than my closest neighbors, my husband and children?

Honest answer: Hardly ever.

I don’t remember how, but finally the obvious shouted so loudly I couldn’t hide from it:

The root cause wasn’t my life. It was how I reacted to my life.

After that flash of truth I wanted to change

It hit me that every day we moms–and dads–lay down tomorrow’s memories. I wanted our children to smile when they remembered.

So I started reading and learning and looking for good role models. When someone talked about their childhood I listened closely, trying not to be obvious about it. Some described their growing-up years with a light in their eyes and a smile in their voice. If they gave more detail to what they said, I took careful mental notes.

I also noticed that some individuals seemed to deliberately avoid joining in. They usually looked wistful and didn’t say much.

I took it all in–and learned. Changing my mindset came slowly, but it came.

What does “leaving a legacy” look like?

Before I always assumed that phrase referred to money and assets. Then I met “Dale” and heard him talk about his childhood. “I guess I grew up poor, but we kids never knew it.

“Oh, sure, we knew Dad worked hard all day at the factory, and Mama worked nights at the nursing home. We knew all too well how they stretched every dollar ’til it hollered, but they never talked poor. I never once heard either one complain that somebody else got all the breaks and it wasn’t fair.

“Mama and Dad would tell us some folks have more money, some have less, and that’s life. We kids couldn’t argue with their simple explanation because we saw it all around us.

“If we wanted something and they said No, we weren’t allowed to pout or have a ‘pity party’.

“I can still hear my mama’s voice saying, ‘You’ve got it all!’

“That never made sense to us, but they’d remind us we had healthy bodies and good minds, so we could be anything we wanted to be. Besides, we had enough to eat and our drafty old house was full of love.

“One of them, usually Dad, would look solemn and remind us, ‘The Bible says if we have food and clothes to wear we should be content. Remember?’

“Then he’d laugh and gather us all into a big hug. Sometimes he would put on a record and grab Mama. They’d hug and start dancing and we kids would hop around the room. First thing you know, it felt like a party.

“I look back now and realize I grew up rich.”

You and I can learn from them

Dale’s parents accepted–and rejoiced in–the life they had. They didn’t gloss over the hardships in their life, they simply refused to park there.

They focused instead on their blessings and stressed that reality to their children. In spite of money being tight, these parents laid down memories that made their son smile, even decades later.

Their truth spoke to me, too, and whatever self-pity I still hung onto went away. It was plain as day. Whatever my situation, I chose what I thought about events and people and my life. It all came down to this: Every situation has two sides. I decide whether I’ll see it as not-so-bad, or not-so-good.

By the way, that long-ago philosopher, Epictetus, merely echoed what God inspired the writer of Proverbs to say in 23:7a (NKJV):

For as he [she]thinks in his [her] heart, so is he [she].

Take it from one who learned it’s true: Making this principle your own can change your life.

One caution: Be patient with yourself. To expect instant, lasting transformation is no more realistic than expecting instant, lasting weight-loss from diet meds alone.

It’s an ongoing process because we will be learning as long as we keep breathing.

I don’t know about you, but I think that’s cause for celebration–every day of every year!

Warmly,

Lenore

You can give your children good memories

May 6, 2026
It can happen to any of us at any time. We reach our limits. Of patience. Or money. Or hope.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” we may say to a friend. Or to ourselves. Or to God.

Our life may be good, at least from the outside, but disquiet nibbles away at our hearts.

That’s a lonely place to be.

Sometimes we also feel distant from God. We can’t seem to pray or feel connected to the Lord we love, whom we know loves us.

Then we have two choices: We can wrap ourselves up in our frustration and fretting–OR change the way we look at our life.

I hear you saying, “Talk is cheap. You don’t know how hard it is for me!”

No, I don’t. But I know how hard it is for me to climb out anytime I let myself get mired in that pit. Then I have to relearn an old lesson that I learned the hard way.

Call a halt!

By now I easily spot the red flag thinking that leads me into risky territory. It comes sounding harmless enough, just random phrases that stoke my fears or my pride, words like these:

What if ____ ?

Why doesn’t he–or she– ____ ?

Why must I always ____ ?

How long must I put up with this?

Where is God in all this?

Thoughts or words like this pull us down as surely as gravity makes the apple drop.

It took me awhile, but I finally learned to catch myself and say, “Stop!”

I don’t have a never-fail “system,” but usually I ask myself questions that run something like this:

Q: What if? A: Why tie myself up in knots about something that may or may not happen? IF or when the situation changes, I will deal with it then.

Q: Why don’t they care? A: Maybe they do. Each individual may be speaking and acting in ways that feel right to them.

Q: Why must I always ___? A: Stop with the “poor me” stuff! Is it really always? Think of times this other person gave in or came through, even when it cost them. Did I discount that simply because they didn’t react as I would?

Q: How long must I put up with this? A: Think. Am I really the only one “putting up with this”? Or does it work both ways? What’s a mutually fair way to handle this?

Q: Where is God in all this? Even those times I feel far from him, I can know that in Jesus Christ I am never alone and abandoned.

Over time I’ve learned that even though I’m the only one who hears it, when I restate the situation in a more balanced way it calms me and helps me think straight.

Fill your mental reservoir with the Good Stuff

I freely admit it took years of reading and praying–and trying and failing–before this finally became my way of thinking. I know now to make my mind switch over to what lifts my heart and eases the tension in my shoulders.

Many people advise using positive affirmations, but that doesn’t do it for me. I’ve tried repeating phrases like, “I am at peace with the world,” or “I am calm in every circumstance.”

Before long my inner nag taunts me with, “Oh yeah?”

I found it true for me that real peace comes when we connect with the Source:

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27

Other Bible verses to lift us up

When we feel swamped, it helps to repeat truths like these.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear …    –Psalm 46:1a

I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?   –Jeremiah 32:27

Cast all your anxiety upon him, because he cares for you. –-1 Peter 5:7

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. —Philippians 4:13

Put the Good Stuff in and gradually you’ll feel the heaviness in your spirit melting away. Even if everything about your life situation stays the same, you will be changed

And I know this for sure: That makes all the difference.

(I’m just passing on what I keep relearning)

Lenore

How to find peace when life feels overwhelming

April 25, 2026
“I will never forgive that man!”

I stared at the red-faced man pounding the table. Always before, “Henry” struck me as a quiet, gentle man. Now the veins on his forehead bulged with emotion as he poured out his sad story.

Some years before, he and his wife, “Louella,” invested most of their retirement savings with a trusted business acquaintance who “let them in” on what he promised would bring a great return on their investment .

A few months and a lot of excuses later, the swindler skipped town. The shattered couple hired lawyers who tried for two years to bring the man to justice. Finally their attorneys told them it was hopeless. Henry and Louella ended up paying all court costs.

With only a few years left before his retirement, Henry could not begin to make up their financial loss and Louella’s disability made it impossible for her to hold a job.

Besides, in that small town, jobs were scarce.

Their retirement dreams and plans had to be set aside

I had known this dear Christian couple for a year or so but had no inkling of this. All I could do now was tell him how sorry I was. After awhile I softly brought up Jesus’ call to forgive our enemies.

Henry was having none of it. Once again he turned beet red and said, “No! It almost kills me that Louella and I have to live the way we do. That scoundrel stole the future we scrimped and saved for. People tell me I need to let it go, but I refuse to forgive him!”

Then he got up and stomped away from the table. Clearly, the con man took their money, but Henry’s continuing enmity robbed these two of something much more valuable than dollars and cents.

Their peace.

The cost of maintaining a heart of stone

Later that day I remembered the first time I glimpsed the fallout from unresolved anger. I was a high school freshman when my family moved to a new area and a new church.

One of the first things we observed was how every Sunday the same two families sat in the two front pews, one on the left and the other on the right. After the last hymn and the pastor’s benediction, both families marched out single file, each one staring straight ahead, never nodding or smiling to each other.

When I became good friends with one of the daughters I learned to know and love her parents, especially her smiling, always-had-a-joke-for-me father. But I sensed this was The Subject We Must Not Talk About.

Over time the gist of the story came together. Each brother lived with his wife and children on farms along the same country road. One mile apart. Ten years or so earlier, for whatever reason, these two brothers had a falling-out. Apparently they had not spoken to each other since then. Neither had their family members.

We also learned of the unspoken rule in that community: Invite only one brother (or his family members) to any birthday party or the like. A couple of times the hosts risked inviting both, but not telling either one beforehand. That never worked out well. Hardly anyone talked to anyone and the sense of celebration soon fizzled out.

You may wonder whether anyone tried to speak Bible truth and healing to these two. I know the answer is yes, but each brother answered, “No!”

Their families, whatever they thought individually, were caught in the middle.

The only balm for the pain

I’ve always loved this quote by Lewis B. Smedes:

“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.”

All the individuals I described earlier went to church and heard clear Bible teaching every Sunday, but they lived as prisoners. They didn’t have to. Even in situations where the other person will not budge, the one who feels wronged can be free. It starts by giving all that pain to Jesus–then leaving it there.

Sometimes the hurt and heaviness remains , even when we’ve prayed. That signals we need to take the next step: Deliberately decide to let it go.(Repeat as often as necessary.)

We may have every right to feel wronged, but to forgive means we give up that right. (I do not for one moment mean to imply that is easy to do!)

Unless we relinquish “our rights,” even saying, “I forgive you,” will be meaningless.

Healing that lasts

Real healing, lasting healing, comes only through the work of Christ’s Spirit. Sometimes it takes awhile to get to the place of feeling free.

Remember the message of Easter?

(Jesus said) “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” –John 8:36

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” –John 14:27

Jesus took all our pain to the cross. We still live on earth and we’re still flawed human beings. But we are not alone. He walks with us through each day and our every question finds its deepest answer in Him.

Dear reader, I wish you abiding peace in Jesus, every day of the year!

Lovingly,

Lenore

Anger can poison a life. For life.

April 15, 2026
We forget sometimes that everything starts with envisioning something that’s not yet reality.

Still, what sane person would stand before an enormous expanse of rough granite mountain and imagine he could hammer it, beat it or blast it into submission?

Only one: Gutzon Borglum and he was 60 years old when he began this project in 1927.

People called him a fool–and worse–but that didn’t stop him. Neither did South Dakota’s howling winds, thunderstorms, rain, frigid temperatures or blizzards, all of which he and his helpers experienced.

Borglum simply refused to give up on his dream. His vision for that enormous expanse of granite became a burning passion. It took over his life until he drew his last breath in 1941.

(To get some idea of the scale, take a look at those pine trees at the bottom of the photo. They’re not seedlings.)

We visited Mount Rushmore National Park when our four girls were growing up

For a long while we stood there transfixed while eagles circled high above our heads.

Before us were these four faces, each one 60 ft. high. It seemed we could look into the eyes of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.

Somehow it felt as if their eyes followed us when we walked from one side to the other. We spent a lot of time there, poring over the information booklet.

The inescapable question: How on earth did they do that?

“They” wouldn’t have done any of it without one man and his “crazy dream”

Gutzon Borglum and his determination made it happen. It’s that simple. Borglum, age 60, drilled the first holes in 1927.

Over the next 14 years he and 400 other men blasted away and chipped away more than 450,000 tons of granite from the face of the mountain. One exhausting day followed another.

Yet they kept on. Finally, in October, 1941, the Mount Rushmore National Memorial was officially declared done.

Sadly, six months before that date, Borglum died of an embolism. His son Lincoln Borglum headed the faithful group of family members, craftsmen and laborers who brought the project to completion.

Because Gutzon Borglum refused to give up his “crazy dream”, the United States of America has this national treasure, Mount Rushmore.

What’s your dream?

Some of us have kept chasing around a tired old dream for years. By now we’ve convinced ourselves our “mountain” is ay too huge and we waited too long. We have no chance of succeeding.

Or maybe we’ve said, “But that will take ___ years. If I start now, by the time I finish I’ll be ___ years old.”

Find your obvious answer in another question. “How old will I be in ___ years if I don’t do it?”

Here’s a promise of God that we can cherish at any age:

   As your days, so shall your strength be. –Deuteronomy 33:25b

Maybe it’s not too late

For starters, here are five people who got a late start.

Andrea Bocelli was told he was “too old” to sing at age 48, but he started singing anyway.

Susan Boyle, an unknown woman from a very small town in Scotland, made it on “Britain’s Got Talent” at age 48 and wowed everyone. You know the rest of her story.

Julia Child didn’t start cooking until age 40 and began her long-running PBS cooking show at age 51.

Harlan Sanders had a couple of other careers before he founded Kentucky Fried Chicken at age 65.

Grandma Moses never picked up a paintbrush until she was 75–and never took a lesson, yet she became famous.

How about you? If not now, when?

It doesn’t matter whether your dream is as big as Mount Rushmore or as small as mastering the perfect batch of fudge.

What matters is that we don’t assume we’re licked before we start, just because we didn’t begin years ago. At any age and any stage of life, goals and dreams give us a reason to keep going.

As for strength needed to do so, only one Source never gives out. That’s what the Apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 4:13. Some of us know the truth of this promise first-hand, because we trusted it when we thought we had no strength left within us:

I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

Who knows what you and I may yet do or how we may bless the world?

As someone put it, “If you woke up this morning it’s a sign God still has something for you to do on this earth.”

That “something” might sound small, such as aiming to be one of those people who cheers everybody up simply by speaking about what’s good and hopeful. (Don’t you love people like that?)

But first we need to get in the habit of looking for what’s good. Any of us could do better at that if we simply stay aware and put in a bit of effort. It gets easier if we remember it is God who guides and enables and gives strength for each day, to all who trust him and ask in faith.

Now let’s be ready to get outside our personal comfort zone. And let’s get going!

Working on it, too,

Lenore
Who Declared Your Dream Is Impossible?

April 8, 2026
Those two commodities are in short supply these days, aren’t they?

We shouldn’t be surprised. Any time spent paying attention to the news almost surely will include reports of angry, often shouting people, protesting someone or something they’re unhappy with. That’s no surprise. People often disappoint us and let us down. So does life in general, apparently even for the rich and famous.

That inner nagger taunts us continually: Whatcha gonna do about it?

Thanks be, Easter is coming and its meaning can refresh our spirits

The Easter story really began the Friday before. A crowd gathered at a rocky hill outside Jerusalem. They could not look away from the horror unfolding before them. Three rough wooden crosses had been pounded into the rocky ground and three men had been nailed to them.

A few days before–on the day we now call Palm Sunday–Jesus, the man hanging on the center cross, had attracted cheering crowds. Now his life ebbed away as onlookers watched. Most of them had either seen him perform miracles or they had heard the reports. No one else turned water into fine wine or fed huge crowds of people with a few fish and a couple loaves of bread. Jesus stilled the raging storm and walked on water, healed the blind and the lame. Unbelievably, he even raised the dead back to life.

Now this One whom wind and water obeyed appeared to be utterly powerless.

How could this be?

After six hours Jesus drew his final breath of air

The Sabbath would begin at dusk so his followers implored the Roman guards to take his body down from the cross. Then these friends carried his body to a new tomb which had been cut into the side of a hill. They wrapped strips of linen and spices around his body, according to the custom of the times.

As for the religious authorities, they had long felt threatened by Jesus. Now they could breathe a collective sigh of relief. He was out of their way. After all, dead is dead.

It wasn’t long before new concerns filled their minds. What if someone stole his body and then pronounced it yet another miracle? The risk might be small, but these leaders pressured Roman authorities to have a boulder rolled across the tomb’s opening and seal the edges with melted wax. What’s more, armed guards were ordered to stand watch around the clock.

At last the religious leaders could relax and prepare to resume their life of power and position as before.

Then came Sunday, the third day

Just after dawn several followers of Jesus went to his grave at different times. They found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. All that remained were the strips of linen that had been wrapped around Jesus’ body. The burial cloth that had been around His head lay by itself, neatly folded up. (John 20:5-8.)

What could this mean? Each time an angel or a pair of angels appeared and told them, “He is not here. He is risen!” (Mark 16 and Luke 24)

Only then did they recall that Jesus told them several times that He would rise. Could this be what he meant?

Over the next weeks Jesus, very much alive, appeared to his followers and friends many times. He spoke with them and touched them–and they touched him. He ate with them and told them how much he loved them. Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit, to provide them with power so they could carry on his ministry on earth.

Their lives–and the sureness of their faith–would never be the same.

Thinking it through

God cannot die for any reason because He is eternal, without beginning and without end, therefore Jesus had to be true man. Yet Jesus had to be true God because one man cannot forgive sins or pay the price of sin for the world. Only God. Jesus was truly God and truly man (human).

Read the first few verses in the Gospel of John, which tell us the Word (Jesus) was present when God the Father created the world and everything in it. Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth as the Babe born to Mary in Bethlehem. At age 33, he began his ministry on earth, which culminated in his death on the cross. Three days later, he rose–was alive again, which is why we say he is our living Savior,

All this is beyond our human understanding

Tim Keller expressed that truth this way: “If God were small enough to be fully understood, He wouldn’t be big enough to be worshiped.”

The Bible tells us the “why” of Easter:

(Jesus said) “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that everyone who believes in him shall have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” –John 3:16 NIV

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” –John 10:10 NIV

All it costs us to be a Christian is to take God at his word and trust in Jesus as our Lord and Savior. The One who brings us hope when life feels hopeless. Who speaks comfort and peace in our times of pain and loss. Who offers love when we feel loveless and alone. In Jesus, our life endures beyond death.

No wonder we can have Easter joy even on our darkest days. No wonder we celebrate Easter every year!

Blessings to you and yours,

Lenore

Found: Hope and Joy That Light Up Dark Days

March 28, 2026
Reasons to be anxious flood the news 24/7.

We listen. We sigh. We pray. We’re deluged with rumors and statistics and more. What person who’s breathing and has a brain wouldn’t be at least a bit anxious?

All this goes on while “The Experts” warn that anxiety and stress are bad for our health and could shorten our lives, so we need to remain calm.

Here’s some good news for a change

There is a way to drive out fear and find strength for each new day. Best of all, this remedy has been tested and tried countless times, with no ill effects. This “Happiness Medicine” is yours for the taking.

Directions for use: Take in at least once a day and think what each “ingredient” means to you. Repeat as needed.

Remind yourself who’s really in charge

Recount the ways God has blessed you in the past

Recall his promises to be with you

Remember who you are–and Whose you are

Relax and enjoy the life he has given you

This “medicine” is available all over the world, at no charge and has no age limits.

Parents will reap a side bonus because professionals agree: When parents are calm, their children are less likely to be uptight and fearful.

How could something so simple make any difference?

Think how light overcomes darkness. When life threatens to overwhelm us we turn inward. Our minds fill with our mistakes and fears and at least for awhile, we lose sight of what’s good in our lives.

Anyone with a smidgen of faith in God knows that negative mindset doesn’t come from our Friend and Redeemer Jesus Christ. Rather, it’s the work of that troublesome old foe: the devil.

Satan will never quit trying, but take heart. Jesus Christ sets us free from bondage. .

So Jesus said … “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the the truth will set you free. … So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” –John 8:31-32, 36 ESV

Any time you feel that old pull downward, be armed and ready for battle

Uplifting books you read and podcasts can be helpful, but better yet, have a stash of strength Bible verses stored in your memory. Or keep a list somewhere that’s easy to pull up, because repeating these treasures over and over to yourself will put lift your heat and put starch in your spine.

We need to put the Good Stuff in if we want to get the good stuff out. To get you started, here are three of my favorites.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” —Isaiah 41:10 ESV

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. –Psalm 23:4 ESV

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. –Philippians 4:6-7 NIV

No matter what may come up in the future, those of us who believe in Jesus as our Savior need not quake in fear. In every situation we are not left to cope just on our own.

I find it helps a lot to start my morning by thanking God for the day and reminding myself who I am in Christ. I have Help. So do you if you love Jesus as your Savior.

Help today. Help tomorrow. And for all your life.

Trusting, too,

Lenore
Find inner peace by watching your diet

March 19, 2026
If you’re weary of “nothing happening” days and feeling frustrated for change, stop and rethink.

Think back to the time(s) a crisis of some sort caused you to wish you could go back a day. Or a week. Or a year. Back to before.

Before those medical tests.

Before that pink slip.

Before that stroke.

Before the “whatever” that seemed to come out of nowhere and turn your life upside down.

Next comes the nagging procession of “what ifs” and “if onlys”.

Do struggles ever have a purpose?

Here’s an old tale that may give us a bit of an answer:

One day a youngster burst into his home with excitement and rushed to show his mother his latest discovery. “What’s this, Mom?”

“That’s called a cocoon, Son. You might say it’s a butterfly-in-the-making. There’s a butterfly growing inside the shell, which protects it until the butterfly inside is ready to come out.”

One day, the boy noticed the cocoon starting to move. He watched and waited, trying his best to be patient. After awhile he said to himself, “That poor little butterfly needs help!”

So he found a pair of scissors and carefully cut away the hard brown shell. Then he cried, “Fly! Fly!” But the sorry-looking creature never did.

He ran to his mom and said, “Come look! I tried to make it easier for the butterfly to get out, but it just won’t fly. Why not?”

Mom hugged him and said, “You tried to help, Honey, but God created the butterfly so that when it’s just about ready to come out, it kicks and it pushes against the cocoon’s walls, over and over.

“It can take a long time to break through the shell, but the butterfly needs every kick and every push to get strong. Strong enough to break free of the shell so it can fly.”

What about you and me?

What if our down days, our boring days, and even our struggles actually help us grow strong–and strengthen our faith in God, too?

A Bible verse that has come to mean a lot to me is Ecclesiastes 7:14:

When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other.

Still, life can be hard. At first we may think ourselves able to handle a challenge with no problem. Before long we find out we’re not strong enough on our own. As never before, we turn to prayer.

I once heard a Bible teacher say, “No experience is ever wasted in the life of a Christian” and I thought, well, that’s nice.

By now I’ve lived long enough to understand that trials along the way do help develop my inner strength and my faith.

Living it out

Here’s how I understand it. If we’re still breathing and we have a pulse, God has something for us to do. Think about these Bible verses, for example:

For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:13

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

As your days, so shall your strength be. Deuteronomy 33:25

Whatever comes, we’re not on our own

By now I’ve learned to pray I will appreciate each day while I am living it.

Years ago I tacked these lines by Mary Jean Iron to my bulletin board. Maybe they will speak to your heart as they do to mine.

Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are …

Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect Tomorrow.

One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in my pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return.

May those simple words remind us to live each day as if it were God’s precious gift to us. Because it is.

(Even the days we label boring.)

Wishing you peace and JOY in every day,

Lenore

Could Feeling Bored Indicate We Are Blessed?

February 23, 2026
No doubt you’ve noticed that a lot of people are rather cynical about love and romance and marriage.

Can love last over the years? Yes!

An overheard conversation between two women probably nails at least part of the reason why. The younger one said (too loudly to miss): “I know so many couples who have split up, I wonder if it’s even possible to stay married, much less to stay in love and be happy.”

Oh, how I wanted to break in on that conversation! If I had, I would have said, “Yes it is possible! I know it is!”

I would have shared what my husband and I learned over many decades of a strong and happy marriage.

ONE: Commit to your marriage relationship instead of to keeping track of who-gave-the-most-today

How does one do that? By deciding every day that you love and value the one you married–and saying so–often.

Like any living thing, your marriage relationship needs regular feeding and watering if it’s to grow strong and healthy–and stay that way.

Make–and keep–each other and your marriage your top priority.

That sounds too pie-in-the-sky, doesn’t It?

What about our jobs? And our kids? If we don’t work we don’t eat! Besides, who has time and energy for “staying connected”?

A friend cherishes the memory of how his parents managed it. Money was tight, so they found the most economical way to be sure their two boys were well cared for. The husband worked days, leaving early in the morning, and the wife worked the swing shift, usually until 11 pm.

“Johnny’s” small bedroom was off the kitchen and his door wouldn’t close tightly . He saw how every night his dad dozed on the couch or in a recliner until just before 11 pm. Then he would get up, put the coffeepot on and get out a snack. When his mom arrived home, tired from her shift as a nurse, the two would hug each other for a long time, then sit around the kitchen table sipping coffee and listening as each one recounted their day.

Johnny loved hearing the murmur of his parents’ voices. The times he peeked out, they would be sitting close, maybe holding hands.

Good times or bad times, Johnny and his brother knew one thing for sure: Their parents loved each other–and them–so they felt secure.

What if you hit a dry spell and wonder where the “magic” went?

It helps to stop dwelling on “what went wrong”. Deliberately turn your thoughts away and go back in your memory to when the two of you were dating and the emotions you felt. Even if they’ve been buried under the minutia of daily living, that doesn’t mean they died. Some wise person said, “Act the way you want to feel and soon you’ll feel the way you act,” and it’s still true.

Forget the idea of keeping score on who gave most or who kept up their end of the job list. Seven days a week each one gives and takes and adjusts, always knowing the balance will keep changing–depending on the needs of the moment.

Decide to put the good stuff in to your marriage. Leftover scraps of time and energy may keep your relationship alive, but is that all you want?

Be at least as watchful of what you feed your marriage as of what you feed your dog.

TWO: Talk to each other, keeping it honest and kind

“We don’t communicate” is a frequent complaint, usually from wives to husbands. (Husbands are likely to answer, “What do you mean? We talk.”)

It helps to remember that God wires males and females differently. Just watch any small boy and girl. Little girls talk. And talk. And talk. Little boys make noises and poke and run around, often independently.

It’s no wonder girls and women naturally seem more comfortable talking and opening up.

Besides, most of us hold back from letting anyone know “the real me” until we feel utterly safe. Even within a good marriage, building trust takes awhile. Learning to be free and open with each other is an ongoing process–and it is easily destroyed.

Be patient–and guard this trust like the precious jewel it is.

THREE: Love, first, last and always

Our role model? Jesus. He said, “Love one another as I have loved you,” (John 13:34.)

To follow his example as marriage partners means we willingly set aside our own wants and needs for the sake of what our husband or wife wants or needs. Sometimes one “wins,” sometimes the other. Both partners know that whatever comes, each one can count on the other and together, they can handle whatever comes up.

When each one does this it becomes precious and mutually satisfying.

Good advice from the Apostle Paul

Paul keeps it simple as he counsels us how to live as God’s people, whether married or single:

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.     Ephesians 4:2

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.    Corinthians 13:4-8a

Nobody’s perfect, but always, we have choices

Married or single, we can choose whom we listen to and whom we consider our role models. Those of us who are Christians tune our hearts to truths from the Bible. Truths that have stood over the centuries.

Which will it be for you?

Wishing you joy in your life, always,

Lenore

What Does It Take To Grow A Strong Marriage?

February 14, 2026